What is AWS Direct Connect?

AWS Direct Connect links your internal network to an AWS Direct Connect location over
a standard Ethernet
fiber-optic cable. One end of the cable is connected to your router, the other to
an
AWS Direct Connect router. With this connection in place, you can create virtual interfaces directly to public AWS services (for
example, to Amazon S3) or to Amazon VPC, bypassing Internet service providers in
your network path.
An AWS Direct Connect location provides access to AWS in the region with which it
is associated,
and you can use a single connection in a public region or AWS GovCloud (US) to access
public
AWS services in all other public regions.

The following diagram shows how AWS Direct Connect interfaces with your network.

(Optional) You can configure Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) on your
network. Asynchronous BFD is automatically enabled for AWS Direct Connect virtual
interfaces, but will not take effect until you configure it on your router.